Payne Gallery to exhibit photos from the National Archives

“Picturing the Century” celebrates one-hundred years of American photography

Bethlehem, Pa.—Payne Gallery at Moravian College will hold an exhibition of powerful photographs that capture the spirit of American life over the last one-hundred years. “Picturing the Century: One-hundred Years of Photographs from the National Archives” will run from September 18 through October 24, 2004. The Gallery will host an opening reception for the public on Thursday, September 16 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

The exhibit is comprised of a selection of photographs from many collections, including the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. It includes pieces by notable photographers including Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Walter Lubken, Lewis Hine, George Ackerman, Charles Fenno Jacobs, Yoichi Okamotot, and Danny Lyon.

The photographs highlight turning points in American history. They are a window into the lives and trials of the American people, the structure of society, and the role of the government throughout the last century. They depict crucial events that molded America and changed the world. Beginning with Lubken’s photographs of America’s irrigation projects and daily life, the exhibit moves through World War I, the Great Depression, and postwar America, finally ending with Lyon’s pieces from the DOCUMERICA project, pieces that criticized the government’s actions, especially against ethnic neighborhoods and other oppressed groups.

Payne Gallery is open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays, from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Admission to the gallery is free. For more information, please call the Art Department at (610) 861-1680 or (610) 861-1667 during weekends.